What will happen to Paramount+ and HBO Max under the new Skydance?

The deal merging Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. closed on Tuesday, bringing with it new questions about the future of the companies’ flagship streaming services: Paramount+ and HBO Max. What will that mean for streaming consumers? So far, the new company hasn’t said much. Unification “over time” Skydance announced that consumers can expect improvements in its streaming products, as well as a unification into a single service “over time,” according to a press release Tuesday. The exact timeline of this unification has not been announced. Skydance has also not announced a pricing plan for the consolidation. A subscriptions to Paramount+ starts at $8.99 per month while HBO Max plans start at $10.99 per month. What about bundles? Existing bundles like the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max package have historically brought together brands in a strategic collaboration to make access to different shows and movies across platforms more cost-efficient. With the completion of the merger, HBO Max said in a company update that there are no plans for price or bundle changes “for now,” but hinted that new bundle options could be on the way. Skydance did not reply to a request for comment asking f…